Hey beauties! If you have been following me on Twitter, then you know that NARS was having a 20% off sale. I'm always on the hunt for the best brushes in the market. So, of course I had to try out the #13 and #12 brush.

Inglot 4SS Brush $22 (full review)-The bristles are made from squirrel substitute, which usually means goat hair. It is significantly larger and denser than the Nars #13 brush. They both feel very soft, but I prefer to use the Inglot brush for highlighting my face because it's fits perfectly on my cheekbones. I also like using it to apply setting powder under my eye area & around the small crevices of my nose because it covers a bigger portion and blends better. The Nars #13 may be a more suitable option if you want more precision. (The Inglot 4SS brush measures 7.25 inches in total length.)

Sonia Kashuk Small Multi Purpose Powder Brush $10.79 (full review) - The bristles are made from goat hair. It is bigger, denser and slightly firmer than the Nars #13 brush, but they both feel equally soft. The Sonia Kashuk brush is ideal for highlighting the face and for applying setting powder under the eye area & around the small crevices of the nose. Both the Sonia Kashuk and Nars #13 brush are too flimsy for blending dark harsh linesandtoo big for crease work, for me personally. However, they can be used to blend light colors and if you have a big eye area, then you can also use both brushes to define the crease. (The Sonia Kashuk Small Multi Purpose Powder brush measures 7.20 inches in total length.)

Edward Bess Luxury Eye Brush $40 (full review) -The bristles are made from natural bristles. It is bigger, denser and firmer than the Nars #13, which is smaller and more tapered. If you have a big eye area, then you could use the Edward Bess Luxury Eye brush to add a light wash of color onto the lids, to define the crease, and to blend eyeshadows. I personally use it to apply setting powder under my eye area and to blend my eyeshadows when my holy grail Sonia Kashuk Large Crease Blending brush is dirty. (The Edward Bess Luxury Eye brush measures 6.25 inches in total length.)

Sonia Kashuk Large Crease Brush $5.99 (mini review) -The bristles are made from goat hair. It is smaller and denser than the Nars #13, which is flimsier and tapered at the tip. As I mentioned many times before, the Sonia Kashuk brush is my holy grail blending brush because it blends out harsh lines and dark pigmented eyeshadows, effortlessly. It's not as soft as the Nars #13, but blending brushes can't be too soft or else it won't blend/work properly. Some people have mentioned that it feels scratchy; however, I have 7 of these and none of them feel scratchy or uncomfortable on my sensitive eyes. (It measures 5.5 inches in total length. The old version measures 6 inches, but they both perform the same.)

Nars #14 Eye Contour Brush $28 (full review) - The brush is made from 80% pen super goat hair and 20% pony hair. The bristles are more densely packed, firmer and shorter than the #13 and #12 brush. The #14 offers more control and is ideal for crease work, defining the outer v, and adding color to the lower lash line & a highlight color to the inner tear duct. The bristles feel soft when I run my fingers through them; however, when I use the brush on my eye area, it feels a bit prickly. (It measures 7 inches in total length.)

Nars #13 Large Dome Eye Brush $33 -The bristles aremade from 80% pen super goat hair and 20% pony hair. It does not blend out dark harsh lines as easily as my Sonia Kashuk Large Crease brush, but it is ideal for highlighting the bridge of the nose, cupid's bow and chin. It can also be used to apply setting powder under the eye & around the small crevices of the nose if you prefer more precision and control. It's too big for me to use as a crease brush; however, those who have a big eye area will not find it to be a problem. (It measures 7 inches in total length.)

Nars #12 Small Dome Eye Brush $27 - The bristles are made frompen super goat. It is thinner, shorter and smaller in general compared to the #13 brush. The #12 brush is ideal for crease work, defining the outer v, blending product on the lower lash line, and adding color to the inner tear duct. I love using this brush to add my transition/blending color right above my crease area because it places the color where I want it to and it offers great precision. Usually, people add the transition/blending color on the entire crease area and right above it and then they'll add the crease color; however, I find that method wastes product. I prefer to add my crease color first and then I'll add the transition/blending color right above the crease area. The #12 brush is the perfect tool for that type of application because itfits perfectly right above my crease area and it deposits the right amount of product. (It measures 7 inches in total length.)

Bottom Line:The Nars #14 does not work well with my sensitive eyes. However, I recommend checking out the #13 and #12 brush, because they are both multi-taskers and you will surely be getting your money's worth. If you have a big eye area, then the #13 will be great for crease work. Those with a smaller eye area will find the #13 to be more ideal for face application. As for the #12 brush, it is definitely a must-have because it is truly universal and it will work nicely on all types of eyes. Also, I have not experienced any shedding, dye bleeding or funky smell with any of the Nars brushes.

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Beauty editor of MakeupByJoyce, a beauty blog featuring swatches, reviews, advice, makeup looks and more. I have a brain for business and heart for beauty. =) For more information about me and this site, click here.